What’s Your Favorite Teamwork Quote? — Experts Weigh In

Do you believe that teamwork makes the dream work?

Many entrepreneurs turn to inspiring words from brilliant leaders when the going gets tough and they need to stay focused, Which teamwork or collaboration quote keeps you in the zone? We asked 37 small business experts to share which quotes get them pumped and ready to take on any challenges.

1. “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is a process. Working together is success.” — Henry Ford

Ford’s quote inspires me because it can be applied to how we come together as a consulting team to identify the issues; we stay together to implement a plan to address those key problems, and we work together to create objectives that propel our client’s ultimate goals. — Robert Whitaker, Director of Business Development, The Navio Group

2. “If you aren’t fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm.” — Vince Lombardi

I believe enthusiasm is contagious. If you are enthusiastic about what you are doing, your team members will become enthusiastic as well. Enthusiasm is caught, not taught. — Mark Zinder, Speaker, Mark Zinder & Associates

3. “I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot. Together we can do great things.”— Mother Teresa

I have found that focusing on using the individual strengths of the people we work with contributes to a top team. We believe with industry experience each person can bring something unique to our business. We teach each other strengths and acknowledge our own weaknesses to succeed. — Libby James, Director, Merchant Advice Service

4. “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” — George Bernard Shaw

This helps remind me that just because I think I have been clear in my communication with my team, it doesn’t mean I have been. I try to be as clear and concise as possible when I choose my words. I have this quote on a sticky note on my computer so that I see it every day and remind myself that I am the team leader and if I haven’t communicated clearly enough so that everyone is on the same page, that’s on me. — Genia Castro Waller, Co-Owner/Marketing & Project Coordinator, Graphic Finesse LLC

5. “That which is not good for the beehive is not good for the bee.” — Marcus Aurelius

I love this quote because it touches on a few key important factors of teamwork. Whether you’re a manager or an employee there are three key factors this quote nails: 1) There should always be a grander vision or goal at stake (the hive). 2) Getting to that goal as a team benefits everyone, while siloed work often comes at the detriment of individuals and causes burn out. 3) At work, we’re a part of a living, breathing community. When our coworkers and peers suffer, so do we. If an employee gets burnt out because they aren’t getting the support from the hive and community they need, it affects everyone. Now all people have more work and the community has less resources to get it done. — Brendan Dubbels, Co-Founder, EscapeBase

This quote resonates with me because it supports the idea of diversity of thought in teamwork and cooperation. It warns about the dangers of groupthink, something that is a huge problem in my area of expertise (security). — Roger Johnston, CEO, Right Brain Security

7. “The way a team plays determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don’t play together, the club won’t be worth a dime.” — Babe Ruth

I’ve seen this quote come in to play repeatedly in the real world. It begins with watching my children’s sports in school with star athletes who lose every game because they don’t know how to put aside their egos and play together as a team. It’s a saying that infiltrates every fabric of society whether it’s children’s sports or workplace dynamics. Everybody wants the ball, and everybody wants the credit, even though it took 10 people to get you the ball and 10 people to get you the credit. — Maria Dinoia, Marketing and Social Media Manager, Uniik

8. “Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.” — Ryunosuke Satoro

“When it comes to collaboration, this quote keeps me in the zone. It’s simple and straight to the point. With whatever I’m doing in business, it makes me realize that as efficient as I may be with my time and resources, the time-tested path to deliver results and create success is by relying on others on my team. None of us are perfect, we each have our strengths and weaknesses, so I just must keep pushing, and working around each person’s weakness.” — Karen Chalco, Digital Marketing Content Manager, Advisify Media

9. “My model for business is The Beatles: They were four guys that kept each other’s negative tendencies in check; they balanced each other. And the total was greater than the sum of the parts.” — Steve Jobs

Steve knew the value the differences and to use them to be a vantage of his team, his company, and it’s vision. Put another way if you get everybody in the same room and everybody agrees and sees things the same way then most everyone else is useless. — Zach Hendrix, Co-Founder, GreenPal

10. “The best teams are made up of a bunch of nobodies who love everybody and serve anybody and don’t care about being a somebody.” — Pastor Phil Dooley of HillSong South Africa.

This is great quote when the going gets tough, because it reminds me that strength can be found when the focus remains on serving others rather than serving themselves. That means providing the best service to your customers as well as supporting your colleagues, and not making it all about you. — Melani Deyto, Director of Marketing, TextMarks

11. “Individual commitment to a group effort–that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.” — Vince Lombardi

This is so very true. No matter what type of team or scale your team is on — whether a married couple, a small business with ten employees, a global corporation, or a nation — commitment to one common goal and collaborating to reach that goal is what makes any team succeed. — Kaity O’Keefe, Sales and Marketing Manager, Ferla Bikes

12. “For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack.” — Rudyard Kipling

This quote resonates with me because it illustrates that when you are part of a team, you will succeed or fail. Every member of the ‘pack’ depends on the others to do their job and work as one. You may be exceptionally skilled and full of natural talent, but you will get nowhere without your team behind you. At the same time, the team needs every individual to bring their unique skills to the table to work at an optimal level. Plus, who doesn’t like thinking of their team as a wolf pack? — Mike Liera, General Manager, The Arena Gym

13. “Without people, you’re nothing.” — Joe Strummer of The Clash

This resonates with me because in music, as in all walks of life, no one can accomplish anything great all by themselves. Here’s the leader of one of the most popular and influential bands of all time, who had millions of people looking to him for guidance and inspiration, telling all of us that it’s about other people, working together, and combining ideas that makes everything work. That’s never lost on me. — Rob Janicke, Co-Owner/Founder, Sound Evolution Music

14. “Do your job.” — Bill Belichick

While I am not a Patriots fan, I respect and admit Head Coach Bill Belichick’s approach to teamwork. Don’t try to be a hero. If you want the game plan to work, every player must do his job. This means every individual, whether it’s the quarterback or a special teams’ player, need to play his role and do it right. It’s the same concept for a business. You don’t need a team of geniuses to succeed. To grow, hit your numbers, and serve happy customers, a business needs team member to do their tasks well, not be a jack of all trades. If everyone plays his or her part, you’ll beat deadlines and create valuable products. It’s also much easier to lead people who enjoy their roles and take ownership of personal objectives. — Jason Patel, Founder, Transizion

15. “When you hand good people possibility, they do great things.” ― Biz Stone, Co-Founder of Twitter

This quote resonates with me not only from a teamwork perspective, but from leading a team. It reminds me and my team that we can and must rely on the others around us to be successful. If we have faith in each other’s abilities and let our creativity come to light, that is where true growth and innovation occurs. The team will rise above levels that previously seemed unattainable. As a leader, we must trust our people. If you don’t allow the team to work together and support one another, the whole group will crumble. — Michael Keogh, Director of Marketing, Purcado

16. “People who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defenses, or the problems of modern society.” — Vince Lombardi

I love this quote because virtually every football fan knows of Lombardi’s prowess as a head coach. Over a 10-year head-coaching career, Lombardi’s teams won 74% of their regular-season games and 90% of their playoff games. They never had a losing season, and were five-time champions of the professional football world. Lombardi preached teamwork, his players bought into his philosophy, and the results speak for themselves! — Timothy G Wiedman, Associate Prof. of Management & Human Resources, Doane University

17. “It takes two flints to make a fire.” — Louisa May Alcott

I love the strong visuals of this quote. Everyone knows what a roaring fire looks like, and what a powerful force it is. We also know that a single flint isn’t enough; you need two to spark. This is like a team. One person can get a lot done, but two minds (or more) working together can achieve even more.” –Alex R, General Manager, Team Building Hero

We can’t run our business, marketing, or lives by ourselves. When we work together we lighten the load and get more done. The second is cooperation over competition, which is everywhere. This is a big part of our company culture, and ties into the first saying. I see so many business owners being incredibly competitive and petty and they stay in their own small world. Then I see businesses that could be considered competitors working together, supporting each other, and their businesses grow. — Gwen Montoya, VP of Marketing, MOB Nation

Although Michael Jordan was undoubtedly referring to basketball, you can apply this quote to all types of teamwork. This is my favorite teamwork quote because it’s saying you, as an individual, can have talent and skill that will allow you to succeed in many tasks; but combing the intelligence of multiple people and working cohesively as a team creates enlightened knowledge and cooperation that can cause you to excel a great deal more than you would have on your own. Think of business owners: yes, they had an idea and they built a foundation out of it, but a booming and successful business cannot continue to grow without teamwork building up the walls of the company. — McCall Robinson, Content Marketing Strategist, BestCompany

20. “Great things in business are never done by one person. They’re done by a team of people.” — Steve Jobs

This always resonates with me when I am trying to work on things in business that are difficult for me, the IT side! It reminds me to seek expert assistance when needed. — Stephanie Roberts, Director, The Melbourne Minute

21. “When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before.” — Jacob Riis

This is a mantra embodied by every member of the San Antonio Spurs organization that led them to five championships, more than any hoops fan could’ve predicted 20 years ago. It resonates highly with me in my day-to-day work, knowing that the team’s projects and efforts are compounding, and slowly coming to fruition. It makes you feel more patient, persistent, and confident in achieving or maximizing your potential. — Raj Shah, Senior Marketing Manager, TakeLessons Live

22. “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” — Winston Churchill

Challenges are a given as an entrepreneur. Success can also be met by failure, and it’s important to remember to keep going. As the leader of the Western Alliance in WWII, Churchill was faced with opposition and challenges. His fearless ability to lead has left many people considering Churchill one of the greatest Britons to ever live. — Alex Membrillo, CEO, Cardinal Digital Marketing

23. “We don’t do anything in this world alone, my hustle is only as strong as my crew.” — Gina Rodriguez

My favorite teamwork quote is actually an excerpt from an Instagram post by Gina Rodriguez, Golden-Globe winning Jane the Virgin actress. It’s easy to get lost in the hustle when the going gets tough, but Rodriguez’s quote is a good reminder that you won’t get ahead by isolating yourself. Instead, you need to lean into your crew. That can be your peers, team, or another group you’re collaborating with. Earn Spend Live wouldn’t exist without my co-founder and our support team! — Meleah Bowles, Co-Founder, Earn Spend Live

24. “If you take out the team in teamwork, it’s just work. Now who wants that?” — Matthew Woodring Stover

As the CEO of a company with around 20-25 employees, we’re pretty much a tight knit group. Most of my team has been with me for years, a good number of them from our early days in 2011-2012. This quote relates to our company culture. We work as a unit and we have lots of fun doing it! Because we have a lot of team-based incentives, we encourage collaboration and communication between the entire team. Without this sort of teamwork environment, work would just be that boring part of the day you just can’t wait to be done with. — Jared Weitz, CEO, United Capital Source Inc

We work to help other people get their ideas adopted every day. A big part of that is helping people understand that they must be willing to let go of taking credit for an idea. Instead, they must care about the idea coming to fruition, even going so far is to make the idea feel like someone else’s. That takes teamwork, collaboration, and a willingness to set aside ego for the good of the cause. — Erica Short, Production Manager, Overflow Storytelling Lab

26. “We rise by lifting others.” – Robert Ingersoll

My mission in life and in my work is to help others feel and live better. Life as a business owner is stressful, and sometimes you take on the stress of others. This quote puts things in perspective. It reminds me that we are all on this journey together. It’s the human connection and support that will help us to continue to both survive and thrive. — Erin Paruszewski, Founder & CEO, Alkalign Studios

27. “A rising tide lifts all the boats.” —The New England Council

This is the ultimate call for teamwork, because a chain’s only as strong as its weakest link. — Jason Myers, Senior Account Executive, The Content Factory

I think leaders are afraid to fail but all of them do. If you can embrace the fact you are going to fail gives you incredible permission and freedom to be bold, think big, and be aggressive. You will learn from it, adjust and keep moving. Face your fears and go forward. — Wayne Strickland, Business Consultant, Speaker, and Author, WayneStricklandSpeaking

29. “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” — Henry Ford

I love this quote because it reminds me that there are no ‘I’ in team! — Zondra Wilson, Blu Skin Care, LLC

This makes me recall when I was serving in the U.S. Navy as a cryptologist. Today it reminds me if you’re in a group and someone on your team has an idea, as a leader of a team we should encourage ideas to be shared. There might be the perfect solution or the opening to a great opportunity locked in someone’s mind. — Shane Hebzynski, Director, 3 Cats Labs

31. “A team is not a group of people who work together. A team is a group of people who trust each other.” — Simon Sinek

I think this quote is interesting because it digs into what makes a team effective: trust. If team members trust each other, they will offer new, innovative ideas. This, in turn, encourages collaboration, which makes the team more effective and efficient. — David Vallance, Partners Coordinator, LeaseFetcher

32. “My job is to give my team a chance to win.” — Nolan Ryan

This is important to me because we often see only the individual performance. The result comes down to months of hard work from a team of people all working towards the same goal. It resonates with me because often in life people will only see a figurehead for an idea or movement. Champions in our society wouldn’t be where they are without their teams. — Alex Dewey, Search and Social Assistant, People First

33. “Teamwork makes the dream work.” — John C. Maxwell

As entrepreneurs, it become easy to become an island in our businesses. Often, to our own demise, we spend hours in front of the computer screen being busy but not productive. This leads to underperform and of course discouragement. That’s where this quote inspires me especially as a digital marketer when am trying to piece together the moving parts of a client’s digital strategy. This quote reminds me that collaboration is sometimes the only way to achieve deadlines and to get that copy ready in time for a product launch. It’s essential to hire reputable partners to get the job done well. This quote goes a long way to serve as a reminder. — Francene Mullings, Digital Marketing Coach, Francene Mullings.com

34. “No one can whistle a symphony, it takes a whole orchestra to play it.” — H.E. Luccock

This is both beautiful and poignant. We are all doing the best we can at our job, and at times it may feel like we are right at the top. This quote shows us the bigger picture of hard work. You can play your part perfectly, but when you fail to see yourself as a team, your job is not done. Collaboration is the appreciation that everyone’s role is important. It creates depth to your project and applies a level of success that cannot be achieved solo, no matter how perfectly you perform solo.” — Nate Masterson, Marketing Manager, Maple Holistics

35. “If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room.” — Unknown

It’s important to work with people who can teach you a thing or two. It’s also about humility. You need to swallow your pride to accept that you might not be the smartest person in your team. It’s all about being open-minded and willing to learn from other people. — Gregory Golinski, Head of Digital Marketing, YourParkingSpace

36. “Together we win, alone you lose.” — Unknown

This is my most favorite quote when time demands a sudden jerk to a team to stay focused on the goal together. This amazing quote provides the juice to almost exhausted batteries. When a team runs out all the options to find the way out of any deadlock situation, the members of the team start thinking that the target is unreachable. Right at that time it requires to unite the members of the team once again to produce the final summit push. This quote makes everyone remind that when the power of individual seems feeble, the combined force can conquer any hurdle. — Andrei Vasilescu, CEO & Digital Marketing Expert, Don’t Pay Full

37. “The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” — Phil Jackson

I love this quote because it reminds us just how powerful teamwork can be. Working with others gives us the ability to do things that we otherwise wouldn’t be able to do ourselves. At the same time though, it’s not just about teamwork, but everyone as well. Each team member brings their unique strengths and insight to the table, and it’s the capabilities of each individual that allows a team to function properly to begin with. — Peter Yang, Co-Founder and CEO, Resume Writing Services

Did these quotes get you so inspired you’re ready to start your own business? Let us help legitimize your company for you! Give us a call at 1-877-692-6772, or visit us at mycorporation.com.

Deborah Sweeney is the CEO of MyCorporation.com. MyCorporation is a leader in online legal filing services for entrepreneurs and businesses, providing start-up bundles that include corporation and LLC formation, registered agent, DBA, and trademark & copyright filing services. MyCorporation does all the work, making the business formation and maintenance quick and painless, so business owners can focus on what they do best.